TWiB: 5/29 - 6/4

[naiwf 0]

And the A's lose 8-7 in 10 innings. They are now responsible for 33% of the Royals road wins this season due to the last two nights. I don't give a fuck if they are only five games out first and I don't give a fuck how many injuries this team has had and I don't give a fuck if they were in worst shape last year. They were supposedly put together to win now. It's time to hit the panic button. Fire Macha, make a trade, whatever. This team is a fucking joke right now.

 

Hey things could be worse, you could still have Art Howe as your manager.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ron Santo was terrific yesterday.

 

Aramis Ramirez rounds third for an apparent close play at home.

Pat Hughes: He's coming home.

 

Ron Santo: Oh no.

 

Hughes: He's safe!

 

Ron Santo: Oh yes!

[Bruiser Chong 0]

His call on the botched rundown play that ended the game against the Phillies last year is still my favorite of all of the Santo calls I've heard personally. The one Al mentions now and then is probably the funniest sounding one,t hough.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

His call on the botched rundown play that ended the game against the Phillies last year is still my favorite of all of the Santo calls I've heard personally. The one Al mentions now and then is probably the funniest sounding one,t hough.

The Brant Brown call? That's probably one of the ten greatest calls in baseball broadcast history.

[Bored 0]

Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd thinks God is helping the Rockies win.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl...ies-cover_x.htm

"You look at things that have happened to us this year," O'Dowd says. "You look at some of the moves we made and didn't make. You look at some of the games we're winning. Those aren't just a coincidence. God has definitely had a hand in this."

So was God just testing the Rockies the last five years?

[Mik 0]

mlb.com now reporting that the Clemens/Astros deal is finalized.

 

$14 million. Not bad for a few months work.

[The Man in Blak 0]

The Royals finally fire Allard Baird and bring in Dayton Moore, who gets full control of all baseball operations:

 

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/14707979.htm

 

Sources say Moore is getting a five-year contract and complete control over baseball operations in a commitment to turn around a franchise that has lost 100 or more games in three of the last four seasons.

 

Moore, 39, is expected to take control, officially, next week upon completion of baseball’s two-day draft. Sources said assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson will replace Baird on an interim basis.

[vivalaultra 0]

It is now official. Clemens is officially an Astro. He'll make the tour of our minor league affilliates to get back in shape before making his first start...June 22 at home against Minnesota. Well, I'm happy...if no one else is.

[devo 0]

Clemens returning doesn't bother me too much at the moment, but I will be pissed if the Astros make the playoffs after proving themselves to be a wholly mediocre team without Roger.

[Guest StylesMark]

That's a good chunk of $ for Roger.

[vivalaultra 0]

The Astros aren't a mediocre team without Clemens. They're just historically a better second half team. I really think even without Clemens that would have proved itself to be the case.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Leading vote getters for the American League

 

C-Varitek

1B-Ortiz

2B-Cano

SS-Jeter

3B-Rodriguez

OF-Guerrero

OF-Damon

OF-Ramirez

 

Leading vote getters for the National League

 

C-Lo Duca

1B-Pujos

2B- Biggio

SS-Eckstein

3B-Rolen

OF-Edmonds

OF-Beltran

OF-A.Jones

[CanadianChris 0]

Don't AL voters know ANY non-Yankees/Red Sox besides Vlad? Cano and Damon absolutely don't belong in the starting lineup, at the very least.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Cano's the result of not having a single strong candidate at second base. Ditto for Damon. There are a lot of qualified players in the outfield, and that spreads out the voting. The biggest complaint I would have is Varitek leading Victor Martinez.

[CanadianChris 0]

Agreed on Varitek. But why Martinez and not Joe Mauer, Al?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Agreed on Varitek. But why Martinez and not Joe Mauer, Al?

I generally make my All-Star selections based on the last few years and the first two months of the season do not sway my decision. It's easy to get burned on small sample sizes. Martinez established himself in 2004-05 as the best hitting catcher in baseball. If Mauer keeps hitting like he has though, I'll reconsider.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Joe Mauer should be much higher in the voting. I don't know if he's even in the Top 10.

[sfaJack 0]

Cubs swap Jerry Hairston for Phil Nevin.

 

I don't think that's going to help much of anything, but at least it reduces the gluttony of second basemen.

[Vern Gagne 0]

What does Nevin play when Derek Lee comes off the DL?

[CanadianChris 0]

EDIT: Never mind, got a hold of last year's vote counts.

[CanadianChris 0]

What does Nevin play when Derek Lee comes off the DL?

Probably hearts.

[jwest27 0]

Top of the 11th and Looper is in. This isn't too good...

[jwest27 0]

Ok, 1-2-3 inning. Who am I to doubt Braden Looper?

[jwest27 0]

I don't mean to post three times in a row but....

 

SO TAGUCHI~!

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Hmm, I don't hate the trade, but hopefully Jim Hendry doesn't think this is going to solve the offensive problems. Hasn't Nevin caused problems over not being a regular in recent years, though?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

But, of course, if this means a platoon of Walker/Womack at second, I'm against it. Womack's been decent since being called up, but once Lee returns, we'd better not see that situation, especially when one considers both are lefties and thus, a platoon serves little purpose.

[Bored 0]

A miracle happened today, besides the A's actually winning a game, Jason Kendall hit a homerun for the first time 738 at bats.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

If Dusty's going to insist on putting Perez in there, why does it need to be the number two spot? I'm curious, since he offers no speed, which has traditionally been Baker's justification of putting poor-hitting position players in key spots of the lineup.

[The Man in Blak 0]

That's the conventional baseball wisdom coming through - Neifi is in the number two slot because he puts the ball in play almost 90% of the time. Putting the ball in play moves the baserunner over, even in the case of an out, assuming that the lead runner gets on.

[CanadianChris 0]

Hey, it's the third-game curse! NO SWEEP FOR YOU!!

 

I don't think they Jays are going to get enough runs off the rookie to make up for the beating the Sox are laying on Ted Lilly right now. Especially not if they keep up their double-play-an-inning pace.